Relaxation is everything. Or truly, more precisely, it’s the most important step toward everything we desire. I’ve written before that artistry reigns supreme above all else in music, and I stand by that. Artistry and expression and emoting are everything. We should literally guide all of our work toward the best artistry we can even imagine. But… relaxation is the very first step to get us there, and really everywhere else we are ever trying to go.

If you are tight, how can you have a warm tone?
If you are rigid, how can you adjust intonation?
If you are tense, how can you possibly be expressive?

Relaxation is fundamental to all of the rest of it. Artistry and expression are the pinnacle, but relaxation is the foundation.